College Football Unfiltered

It was a matter of time before a media member introduced the rumor that Nick Saban wants to return to coaching. Greg McElroy did the honors this week, saying that someone "in the know" told him that Saban will coach again.

McElroy later denounced the rumor he started. By then, it was too late. The rumor had gained oxygen and made the rounds at SEC media days. Never mind the veracity of this speculation.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams react to the rumor McElroy sparked – that Saban wants to coach again. Neither host gives much credence to the idea of Saban returning to college coaching. They suggest that, if he did return, Alabama would not be the likeliest landing spot.

Adams also considers this hypothetical: If Saban and Urban Meyer returned to college coaching, which would fare better? 

Later in the episode, the hosts respond to Texas being named the overwhelming favorite in the USA TODAY Network's predicted order of finish for the SEC, and Toppmeyer points to a few teams that were underrated in the voting.

Auburn’s athletic director says the Tigers are determined to do things "the right way." Never mind that Auburn’s recruiting class ranks last in the SEC. Have patience. Athletic director John Cohen’s words echo the sentiments of coach Hugh Freeze, who admits Auburn's recent approach is "not really to our advantage."

Who cares about rules nowadays? Insisting on doing things "the right way" tends to be the battle cry from the basement.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the situation at Auburn, where Freeze's offseason golf handicap looks better than his recruiting class. Auburn's recruiting stall comes on the heels of four straight losing seasons. More than the losses from yesteryear, though, Adams says he's concerned about Freeze's recent rhetoric, and he compares Freeze to a former SEC coach who's since been fired.

Still, this is the kind of offseason storyline that can be smashed into irrelevance with a slew of August commitments, plus a Week 1 win against Baylor.

Later in the episode, the hosts explain why Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti keeps getting the College Football Playoff format debate wrong.

The SEC became the nation’s best conference because of its strength at the line of scrimmage, punishing running backs and perimeter speed. Somewhere along the way, though, this conference began attracting the best quarterback talent, too.

That’s especially reflected this season. The SEC's crop of quarterbacks includes a crowded top tier, resulting in a heated debate about who's the No. 1 man.

On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the Gainesville Sun's Kevin Brockwaydebate Toppmeyer's SEC quarterback rankings.

Toppmeyer pegged Arch Manning as the SEC's top quarterback, banking on the upside of a player who's poised to break out in his third season at Texas. Brockway, though, picks a different quarterback as his No. 1.

Later in the episode, Brockway updates the injury status of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, and he takes the temperature of Billy Napier's hot seat. Finally, he projects Florida's record.

The company line within the SEC is that no other conference matches the gauntlet of its conference schedule. Perhaps, but it's also true that no other conference plays as many cupcake games as the SEC.

That's a sticking point for the Big Ten as the conferences try to reach an agreement on a College Football Playoff format for 2026 and beyond. The Big Ten wants the SEC to join it in playing nine conference games. The SEC, so far, keeps standing its ground at eight. That difference in conference scheduling remains a hurdle in playoff negotiations, according to multiple reports.

Can a compromise be struck to end this stalemate?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams dig into the latest on the playoff format squabbling, the SEC's scheduling debate, and the battle of rhetoric between the SEC and the Big Ten.

Would the SEC be smart to stay at eight games, or should it give in to the Big Ten? Also, is the Big Ten's request reasonable?

Later in the episode, were we a little too quick to write off Dabo Swinney? Clemson looks loaded up for a run at national championship contention.

If the Tigers wore an SEC logo patch, would they be the preseason No. 1 team? Adams says yes.

Tennessee’s mid-April quarterback swap damaged the Vols’ chance of making the College Football Playoff, but did the Nico Iamaleava for Joey Aguilar swap make the Vols one of the SEC’s weakest teams? That’s what one preseason publication thinks.

Lindy’s magazine picked Tennessee 11th in the SEC in its conference picks. Might want to take a peek at that schedule, though, before predicting such a freefall for the Vols.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams wade through Lindy’s SEC hierarchy and identify a few underrated and overrated teams.

Several SEC coaches enter this season facing an inflection point in their tenures. That doesn't necessarily mean each of these coaches is on the hot seat (not yet, anyway), but this projects as a defining season for coaches like LSU's Brian Kelly, Florida's Billy Napier and Auburn's Hugh Freeze.

Kelly says he's got his best LSU roster to date. No argument here. Napier's Gators finished last season on a hot streak. Auburn hasn't shown much bite yet under Freeze, but he's got a new quarterback.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams play a round of buy, hold or sell on 10 SEC coaches. They share an opinion on Kelly and Napier but take separate paths on Freeze.

They also consider the buy-or-sell case for other SEC coaches like Alabama's Kalen DeBoer and Kentucky's Mark Stoops. 

Battle lines are forming in the ongoing debate for the College Football Playoff's future format. The Big Ten wants to rig the playoff. The Big 12 and ACC fight against that.

The SEC hangs out in the middle, unsure whether to side with the Big Ten or the other power conferences.

To rig, or not to rig? That is the question.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams unpack the leading playoff formats under consideration.

The hosts reject one potential playoff format, while keeping an open mind to two others. And they explain why the SEC holds the trump cards in this negotiation.

The SEC's scheduling debate will renew when the conference's spring meetings begin later this month.

It's that age-old question of whether to stick with eight conference games or bump up to nine.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the merit of adding a ninth conference game versus sticking with the status quo. Retaining the eight-game format would sacrifice the annual nature of some secondary rivalries, like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee.

Is that worth it? Well, that depends.

Toppmeyer and Adams are intrigued by the idea of an SEC-Big Ten football challenge -- so intrigued, that they like the concept of an interconference clash better than a ninth SEC game. 

If the SEC wants to prove its supremacy, what better way than to put it on the line throughout 16 non-conference games against the Big Ten?

Did Texas just assemble the best team money can buy? Maybe. Alternatively, it spent big for a playoff-caliber roster that will come up short of the national championship game once again, after two straight years bowing out in the semifinals.

This much we know: The Longhorns spent big. Just how big? Well, the Houston Chronicle recently reported that Texas’ budget for its 2025 squad is expected to be in the $35 to $40 million range.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate whether that handsomely paid roster makes Texas the national championship frontrunner.

Later in the episode, they list eight teams that have at least a 5% chance of winning the national championship, and Adams highlights a couple of SEC coaches who were underrated in USA TODAY's list of the top 25 coaches.

Kirby Smart remains the No. 1 coach in the SEC. Any naysayers, consider the reigning SEC champion. It's Georgia.

When ranking SEC coaches, 1 through 16, the debate becomes lively after Smart, the obvious starting point.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reveal their lists, from first to last. 

Auburn's Hugh Freeze becomes the subject of the biggest disagreement among the hosts. 

Adams also goes just a bit against the grain with his No. 2 pick.